In a landmark testimony before the International Criminal Court, a former child soldier from Somalia has recounted the brutal reality of being forced to fight in one of the world’s most protracted conflicts. The witness, now in his early twenties and identified only as Witness A45 to protect his identity, described being abducted at the age of nine by the Islamist militant group al-Shabaab. He testified to a regimen of indoctrination, violence, and psychological coercion that left him in a perpetual state of terror.
“It was kill or be killed,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “They told us that if we refused to fight, we would be executed. And we saw it happen to others.” The testimony, which prosecutors hailed as a critical step in holding the group accountable for war crimes, paints a stark picture of the systematic use of children in armed conflict.
The witness described how he was trained to use an AK-47 before he had learned to read or write. He spoke of regular beatings, sleep deprivation, and forced consumption of khat to keep the child soldiers alert during night-time raids. The psychological manipulation was equally devastating: commanders convinced the children that they had no future outside the group, that their families had abandoned them, and that their only hope for survival lay in obedience.
Al-Shabaab, which seeks to overthrow the Somali federal government and impose a strict interpretation of sharia law, has long been accused of recruiting child soldiers. According to the United Nations, at least 1,200 children were recruited in Somalia in 2020 alone, though human rights groups believe the true figure is far higher. The group has consistently denied the allegations, claiming that its fighters volunteer.
But Witness A45’s account undermines those claims. He testified that he and other children were taken from schools, markets, and even their own homes. “They came at night,” he recalled. “They took us from our beds. Some of us never saw our families again.”
The legal proceedings, which are taking place at the ICC in The Hague, mark the first time that former child soldiers from Somalia have given evidence against their captors. The case is part of a broader effort by international prosecutors to bring senior al-Shabaab commanders to justice, though many remain at large in the Horn of Africa.
For the witness, the act of testifying is fraught with risk. He fears reprisals from the group, which retains a potent presence in parts of Somalia. His family, too, remains vulnerable; his parents and siblings still live in the country. Security arrangements have been made, but the threat is real. “I know that they will come for me if they can,” he said. “But I also know that I must speak. For the other children who cannot speak.”
The testimony has reignited debate about the international community’s response to the crisis in Somalia. Despite billions of dollars in foreign aid and a long-term African Union peacekeeping mission, the country remains mired in conflict, with millions facing famine and displacement. Critics argue that the focus on prosecutions, while important, does little to address the root causes of the war or to prevent the next generation of child soldiers from being recruited.
The hearing continues. For now, the court listens to a young man trying to reclaim a childhood stolen by war.
